Ms. Ye said calmly, “Since you’re studying at home again, it’s time to change those bad habits of yours. You have to catch up on the lessons that you’ve missed in the past. Don’t drop out of class so easily in the future.”

Yu Youyao lowered her head and agreed.

Ms. Ye nodded and continued, “Yesterday, your father sent someone over to inform me that you were going to learn the rules from Nanny and that you would only be studying in the morning.” At this point, she paused for a moment. “I won’t force you if you don’t come to the talent class in the afternoon, but I hope you’ll pay more attention to the language class. As the saying goes, it’s good if a woman isn’t talented, but it’s bad if she isn’t. If she’s stupid, she won’t be smart. If she’s not smart, she’ll be blind. She will be like a puppet. As a woman of the governing family, you should understand that a woman who knows how to read and write is virtuous.”

These words were a little heartfelt. Yu Youyao felt something and looked up at Ms. Ye. She said solemnly, “Thank you for your guidance.”

Seeing that she seemed to have really taken his advice, Ms. Ye’s expression softened a little. “Go to your seat.”

Ms. Ye took the snacks and the Four Treasures of the Study set into the room at the side.

There were three long rows of tables in the room, with three tables in each row. Yu Youyao’s seat was in the middle of the first row. Yu Youyao had not been to school for more than a month. On the long table that should have been empty, there was a blue-and-white brush washer, a rosewood room treasure box, and other items. Every item was either carved or printed with exquisite pomegranate patterns.

Chun Xiao said, “It belongs to Fourth Miss.” Pomegranate flowers were Yu Qingning’s favorite flowers.

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Yu Jianjia and Yu Qingning enter the house with their maidservants. Seeing that Yu Youyao was also there, the two of them were clearly surprised.

“I didn’t know that Big Sister was also here. Otherwise, I would have come with her.” Yu Jianjia was also wearing a green dress, but their styles were very different, and she looked more refined.

Yu Youyao glanced at her but said nothing.

Yu Jianjia felt her heart ache at this calm gaze. Thinking of what had happened in the past two days, she turned around and sat down in her seat. She opened the treasure box on the long table and took out pens, ink, paper, inkstone, paperweights, books, and other items.

The long, empty table was full, but not messy at all.

Yu Qingning, who had been forced by Yu Youyao to kowtow to the first wife yesterday and was punished by Old Madam to copy “Female Virtue” a hundred times, was wearing a rather gorgeous pomegranate dress. Her expression was not too good. When she saw Yu Youyao, she could not help but glare at her. Then, she snorted coldly and turned to sit down.

However, Chun Xiao stopped her. “Fourth Miss, have you forgotten that this is Young Miss’s seat?”

Yu Qingning’s expression couldn’t help but stiffen. Then, she said angrily, “Big Sister hasn’t been to school for a month. I only changed seats because I saw that your seat was empty. I didn’t mean to snatch your seat.”

Yu Youyao ignored her and turned to look at Jin Ju, who was following behind Yu Qingning. She instructed, “Pack Fourth Miss’s things.”

Jin Ju’s face turned pale. Ignoring her young miss’s pale face, she hurriedly went forward to put away Yu Qingning’s study treasure box, as well as the pen holder, pen holder, and other items.

Yu Qingning gritted her teeth in anger. “Yu Youyao, what do you mean?”

Seeing that Jin Ju had quickly packed Yu Qingning’s things and placed them in the middle of the second row, Yu Youyao finally gave Yu Qingning a look.

“What belongs to me belongs to me even if I’m not around. Since you’ve privately occupied my position, I won’t hold it against you. After all, I’m the eldest sister, so I naturally have to tolerate my younger sister. However, Father said that since I’m the eldest sister of the first wife, I should take on the responsibility of teaching my younger siblings in the family. Therefore, I have to teach you the principle of stealing without asking. I hope that in the future, Fourth Sister, you will be polite and not overstep your boundaries.”

Yu Qingning’s face turned red with anger.

But that wasn’t all. Yu Youyao chuckled. “In the future, you have to remember to call me Big Sister. There’s order in seniority. If outsiders hear you calling me by my full name, they’ll say that you’re unruly and ill-mannered, and you won’t want to implicate the reputation of the residence.”

Her gentle and smiling voice revealed the gentleness of a kind heart. However, the faint warning in her words was filled with a mellow and deep aura.

Yu Qingning was filled with anger. It was as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water on her on the spot. All of her fire was wiped out in an instant, leaving only sparks behind. She felt indignant in her heart.

At this moment, Ms. Ye walked out of the side room with a dark expression. He held the ruler that he had just used on Yu Youyao and walked up to Yu Qingning. “Give me your hand.”

Yu Qingning’s face turned pale. “Mentor, what did I do wrong?”

Ms. Ye’s expression was serious. “A long time ago, Eldest Miss didn’t come to school. If you were in her position, I would have asked you if you had gotten her approval. How did you answer?”

A position could not be changed just like that. It had to be approved by the other party first.

“I…” Yu Qingning’s heart skipped a beat, and she reluctantly reached out her hand.

After the first strike, Yu Qingning’s tears fell and her body trembled like a leaf in the wind.

Ms. Ye did not seem to notice Yu Qingning’s aggrieved tears. The ruler continued to fall heavily, making loud slapping sounds. “You’re full of lies. You’re saying that you’re not smart and don’t believe me. You’re secretly snatching someone else’s seat because you’re rude and heartless. The three principles and five rules are the benchmark for the world. However, you’ve violated the four rules of kindness, etiquette, wisdom, and trust. I’ll punish you ten times using the ruler.”

Not only was Yu Qingning beaten up, but she was also taught a lesson by the teacher on the spot. Her tears fell even more fiercely. Halfway through, she retracted her hand.

Yu Qingning had been pampered since she was a young child by her father. Although she was the daughter of a concubine, she was not inferior to Yu Youyao, who was the daughter of the first wife. She was also competitive and liked to compete with others. After school, with Yu Jianjia’s wisdom, she naturally did not want to fall behind. She worked hard. Not to mention being slapped on the palm of the hand with a ruler in front of all the sisters in the residence, even a slight bump was rare.

Ms. Ye looked at her calmly. “Give me your hand.”

Her palm was burning with pain. Yu Qingning was afraid of being beaten and was unwilling to extend her hand again. Usually, people were willing to learn from and respected Ms. Ye because of her talent.

However, in Yu Qingning’s heart, Ms. Ye was just a divorcee who was living peacefully in the Yu Residence. She was certain that Ms. Ye wouldn’t dare to do anything to her.

After all, Yu Youyao had not gone to school for a month. Wouldn’t Ms. Ye say something?

Could she be more overboard than Yu Youyao?